


and we'll call it a christmas miracle

by not_ginger



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M, Mistletoe, sg1secretsanta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 12:30:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17121407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_ginger/pseuds/not_ginger
Summary: "Well, this is a cliché"





	and we'll call it a christmas miracle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Niknaksstuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niknaksstuff/gifts).



> Merry Christmas @niknaksstuff ! Your request was “Mistletoe fluff fanfic (pre relationship)“ I had lots of fun with your prompt, and I really hope you will like it :D

"General, c'mon, it's Christmas." 

The look that General Hammond gives the Colonel has Sam trying really hard not to laugh.

"Last I checked, Colonel, it was December 22nd. Besides, you don't have to stay for longer than 24 hours. You'll be home before Christmas Eve."

"But," the Colonel says in a tone that's dangerously close to whining.

"Are you questioning my orders, Colonel?" Hammond asks, but his eyes are twinkling and Sam snorts, quietly, into her hands. Of course it does not go unnoticed by the Colonel. It makes her happy that seven years of working side by side with him have made her quite immune to his glares.

"No, sir. Yes, sir. Snowed in village on the other side of the galaxy on Christmas Eve Eve Eve it is, sir," the Colonel says still glaring at Sam.

Hammond smiles and rises from his chair. "You depart in two hours, SG-1. Dismissed."

 

***

 

The planet isn't as cold as Sam expected it to be. It is also a lot prettier than the images that were sent back by the MALP. They're greeted by a small group of people bundled up for the cold.

"Welcome!" one of them bellows and steps forward.

"Hi, Marko," Daniel says before the Colonel even opens his mouth.

Marko smiles. "Hello. You must be Daniel, I recognize your voice. We are most pleased to have our new alien friends join today's celebration."

"Oh, you celebrate Christmas, too?"

Sam grins. "Seems you might get to have two Christmases this year," she quietly tells the frowning Colonel.

But Marko shakes his head. "I do not know of this holiday. We celebrate the beginning of a new year. The days are short, this year is dying, it is time to say goodbye to everything that has happened, and welcome the new year into our homes."

The Colonel rolls his eyes, just a bit. "Close enough," he tells Sam.

"But let us not stand here in the cold. Come, come. There is food and drinks and"—he takes Daniel's arm and starts leading him to the village—”you will tell me everything about this Christmas you celebrate, will you not?"

Daniel helplessly looks back at his team. "Uh, yeah, of course."

Sam turns her head to the Colonel and Teal'c, to gauge their reaction, but the Colonel only shakes his head before gesturing for them to move.

"Every planet, I swear."

Sam laughs.

 

***

 

The house that Marko leads them to is brightly decorated with evergreen wreaths with red berries and pine cones that look so cheerful and yet so simple. They make Sam want to ask if they'd give her one to hang on the door of her own house.

"I live here with my sister Leya," Marko says as they approach the door. "Neither one of us is married, so we live together. We don't need much space."

The house turns out to be just as bright and cozy looking on the inside as it is on the outside. There is a fireplace opposite the door and it's filling the room with the soothing sounds of the crackling logs and a soft yellow glow. There is no tree, but there are evergreen branches and more wreaths hanging around the room.

Marko laughs when he notices them staring. "We have a yearly competition," he explains.

"And I am going to win. Our house is the best looking in the entire village," a woman says, drawing everyone's attention to herself.

"This is Leya, my sister."

Leya smiles and walks up to Teal'c, who stands closest to her. She offers him her hand, palm up. "Nice to meet you," she says, the unspoken _and you are_ at the end of the sentence.

Teal'c frowns slightly, but mirrors the gesture. "I am Teal'c."

Leya moves her hand to cup Teal'c's wrist, a gesture of greeting, before moving to face the Colonel, who shrugs and does the same, eliciting a smile from Sam.

After Leya finally greets her and Marko invites them to take their coats off and have something to eat, Sam notices something. "Is that mistletoe?" she asks pointing at the ceiling.

Marko immediately looks interested. "Is this what you call it? We call it Lorantha, it symbolizes the never changing things we all ought to be. Kind, honest, courageous. No matter the season. What does it mean to you?"

Sam coughs, she really doesn't want to explain what it means to them, and looks at Daniel for help. He doesn't disappoint.

"I'm afraid it doesn't mean to us as much as it means to you, I'm sorry."

Leya waves a hand at him. "Do not worry. We have trade relations with people from other places. It would be quite stupid to expect everyone to be the same, wouldn it not?"

Daniel smiles at her. "Yes, I guess it would. That's why we travel. To learn more about other people and their cultures."

The Colonel draws in a deep breath and Sam looks at him. He gives her a long suffering look that seems to say _here we go again_ and Sam bites her lip to keep herself from smiling.

"That is a noble cause," Marko says with awe in his voice.

"Thank you."

"But you still have not answered his question," Leya says and grins at Daniel.

"Uh, well, it's just a decoration."

Sam sighs with relief, she really doesn't want to tiptoe around it, trying not to get caught under the mistletoe with anyone.

"Is it not true that any two people caught under the mistletoe must kiss, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asks and Sam fights the urge to hide her face in her hands.

"Uh, yes, it's true."

Marko and Leya share a look. "That is a most interesting tradition. It can mean that we also ought to be loving. Would you mind if we adopted it, too?"

"Yeah, sure," the Colonel says. "Just know that whoever's caught under it, they don't actually have to do anything. It's just for fun."

"Oh, I see. You are right, of course, it would not be right to kiss someone if they didn't want to kiss you."

“Yes, it’s always best to ask first.”

Sam frowns at the testiness in the Colonel’s voice, but he doesn’t catch her eye.

 

***

 

In hindsight, Sam thinks, she should've known that it would happen. The only mistletoe in the entire house was hanging exactly where it would be most visible. And also where it would be so easy to end up with someone under it.

Of course that someone happened to be the Colonel.

Maybe if no one else was looking at them they'd just play it cool and move on, but it clearly wasn't going to happen. And she was having such a nice day.

"Oh!" Marko exclaims, standing up and drawing everyone's attention to him. "I was wondering if anyone would be fortunate enough to begin this new tradition in our house. Now you must kiss." He takes a couple of steps towards them.

"Well, this is a cliché," the Colonel mutters to himself, but Sam stands close enough to him to hear it.

She feels her face grow hot and studiously avoids looking at the Colonel. Or her teammates. Or Marko and Leya. Maybe if she stares at the hardwood floor just hard enough, it'll open and let the ground swallow her whole.

Of course, she would like to kiss him, but not with so many witnesses, and either way it's a bad idea. So her wishes should not be taken into consideration here. Besides, if he's half as good a kisser as her subconsciousness seemed to think, it would only make their working relationship a lot more difficult.

The Colonel shifts from one foot to the other and clears his throat. "Uh, it's not a rule," he says awkwardly. Sam suddenly realizes that no one comes to his rescue, but it may have everything to do with Leya's beer and Daniel being such a lightweight. She has a different idea why Teal'c is keeping quiet.

"But it is a tradition you said," Marko says, confused.

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean anything if you don't want it to mean anything."

The Colonel doesn't manage, or maybe doesn't want, to keep annoyance out of his voice and Sam feels a pang of disappointment and hurt in her stomach, but keeps her expression neutral. It comes so naturally to her now. "I'll just," she says, gesturing to where Daniel and Teal'c are sitting. Marko and the Colonel silently part to let her through.

Leya gives her a curious look and Sam thinks the other woman can read her despite her best efforts.

"On the other hand, can I try this famous beer of yours?" Sam asks, probably giving herself away with this request, but not finding it in herself to care. It's almost Christmas Eve Eve after all.

Leya only smiles. "Of course."

Sam expects, even wants, Daniel to say something now, but he keeps his mouth shut. Teal'c is the one who breaks the silence, if only to praise Leya's beer. His eyes, however, tell Sam much more than that, and not for the first time she curses Teal'c's ability to read between the lines so well. He’d never tell her what to do, but it’d be so much easier if she didn’t know he had opinions on this.

So she smiles at him, the happiest smile she can muster, considering. "If you're drinking it and loving it, then I just have to try it."

Teal'c’s only response is a slight incline of his head. Sam thinks he's disappointed, but doesn't let herself dwell on it. It's her life. Her mess. Instead she glances at the Colonel, still standing a few feet away, talking with Marko about something. She looks down, concentrating on the beer in front of her.

“The celebration will start shortly. We should dress warmly,” Marko says, sounding uncertain.

Sam drowns her first mug of Leya’s beer, hoping they won’t ruin these nice people’s night.

 

***

 

“You seemed to really hate the idea of kissing me, sir,” Sam says and marvels at her own boldness. She didn’t mean to say it, but now that the words are out, she doesn’t want to take them back.

It’s late and no one is around anymore, but she’s still surprised she’s caught the Colonel outside and alone.

He stops dead in his tracks and slowly turns around to look at her. “You’re drunk, Major.”

Sam stops too and considers his words. She did drink three mugs of Leya’s beer, but she doesn’t feel drunk. At least not drunk enough to make a mistake. Maybe drunk enough to be annoyed with him. She makes a mental note to draw a chart of her levels of intoxication. _Annoyed with her CO_ is definitely close to _not drunk at all_.

He’s still waiting for her to say something, and looking at her all funny she notes, so she purses her lips and shrugs.

Jack sighs. “That beer must be stronger than it seemed. I’ll ask for some to take back to be analyzed.”

Sam smiles, because it’s what she would do. “You sound like a scientist, sir. Seven years of grooming hasn’t gone to waste after all.”

He takes a step forward, his eyebrows climb his forehead and almost meet in the middle, making him look all adorable and not Colonel like at all. “Is that what you’ve been doing? Turning me into a scientist as punishment for that one little remark?”

Sam furrows her brows. “What remark?”

Jack opens his mouth in a silent _oh_. “You don’t remember. Maybe I shouldn’t remind you then.”

“What remark?” Sam repeats petulantly, and takes a step forward.

He huffs. “Let it go, Carter. And,” he says and points a finger at her, “you don’t need to worry that I’ll take your job.”

Her mind focuses on the first sentence, completely ignoring the second one, and she walks past him, bumping her shoulder into his, the impact making her wince. “Letting it go, yep, sir, that’s all I ever do.”

She hears him sigh and start walking after her. “Come on, Sam. I’ll walk you to the house.”

Her name on his lips stops her and he runs into her from behind, his hands grab onto her shoulders to steady her. For a second she tries to decide if she should feel angry or resigned. But then she is still annoyed with him. “Don’t ‘Sam’ me.”

“Okay,” he says, his voice is calm and placating, which only annoys her further.

Sam turns to face him. “It’s Christmas.”

“Not quite. But it’s close, so I won’t say anything about you drinking on duty,” Jack says raising one eyebrow.

It’s cold outside, but Sam feels her cheeks flush. “Teal'c and Daniel were drinking too!”

It makes Jack smile at her defense tactic. “Tattle tale.”

Sam stares at him. “Are you… laughing at me?”

He looks so earnest that it makes her chest hurt. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Have _you_ been drinking?”

Jack shrugs. “Yeah, I tried it. As beers go it was okay.”

“And you’re accusing me of drinking. Why, sir, you are just leading by example.”

He grins at her now. “You see, now I know you really are drunk. You’d never tell me this sober.”

Sam takes a step closer to him, maybe he has a point. But maybe he’s also drunk, if this smile he’s still giving her is anything to judge by. “I can’t be drunk and on duty.”

“Uh, well you _can_ , but you definitely shouldn’t.”

“Are you going to press charges?”

He looks amused. “Against?”

“Well, me. Teal'c. Daniel. Yourself.” She smiles at how quickly his amusement turns into dismay.

“I’m not drunk.”

Sam nods. “It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone.”

He gives her a piercing look. “Come on, Carter, it’s freezing out here.”

She watches him turn and take a couple of steps away from her. “It’s Christmas. So shouldn’t we get what we want,” she says, and it’s not exactly a question, but it makes him turn and look at her.

“Yeah. When you’re like four.”

Sam stares at him, wishing she was drunk enough to not just consider but actually make this particular mistake. “And not when you’re pushing forty, I gather?”

Jack looks away. “Then there’s no hope for me.”

“It’s not fair,” Sam mumbles, taking a step towards him.

“It is what it is.”

“It’s Christmas.” She takes another step, but they’re still not close enough to touch.

One corner of his mouth lifts in a slight smirk. “So you keep saying.”

She doesn’t say anything in response to that, just looks at him, wishing he would take the hint. Wishing he would take another step and close the distance between them. She’s so tired of being the first one to have to do anything when it comes to _them_.

But he remains silent. Sam takes a deep breath, wondering for a second if he’s thick or this noble. “I want that kiss.”

His brows furrow and he swallows. She watches the movement of his uncovered neck. _He must be cold_ , she thinks.

“Carter,” he says, a warning in his voice.

But she knows. She knows exactly why it’s a bad idea. Why it not only won’t lead to anything, but will make things more difficult for them instead. She still wants it. The memory of the kiss on the Prometheus is still fresh in her mind. She tells herself she just wants to know if it’s going to be that good in real life. She also knows it’s a lie.

“It’s Christmas,” she says again with a shrug. “I’m off duty.”

“Because you’re drunk,” he says pointedly.

Another thing occurs to her. “I won’t force you. If you don’t want to-”

“Carter,” he cuts her off, taking a step towards her. She has to raise her head slightly to look at him. “You know-”

“It’s just a kiss,” she says, trying her best to look him in the eye.

He narrows his eyes at her. “Just?”

Her gaze slips to his lips and she lifts her shoulder in a shrug. “It means what we want it to mean.” The intensity with which she wants to kiss him frightens her, making her wonder what she’ll do if he turns her down. “A Christmas miracle?”

Jack doesn’t move.

Sam swallows her disappointment for the second time that day and closes her eyes, suddenly feeling sober and like an idiot, looking for words to apologize, wanting to run and hide instead.

Before she can take a step back, his hands suddenly cup her face, forcing her eyes open, and then his lips are on hers. She makes a sound of surprise at the back of her throat and he immediately gentles the kiss, but doesn’t let go of her.

And as her hands find their way to his cold neck and the back of his head, she thinks she’ll never want him to.

 

***

 

**Several years later.**

 

The snow is falling softly outside and Sam catches herself staring at nothing in particular. The cup of coffee in her hands isn't as hot anymore, so she takes a sip while it still tastes good.

The house is silent, but it's not the silence of an empty house, even if the humming of the fridge is the only actual sound she can hear. She knows she’s not alone.

She's not tired, but she's well on the way there, hence the cup of coffee, to help her stay awake for a few more hours. She considered taking a nap, but decided it would only make her groggy. Best to just keep hanging on.

It's slowly getting darker, the street lamps turning on, and she zones out again, thinking about everything and nothing. So when a hand suddenly lands on her waist, she jumps a little.

"Sorry," Jack murmurs into her ear, drawing her into his chest. "I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you heard me."

"It's okay," Sam says, taking another sip of her now cold coffee and makes a face. "This is disgusting."

She makes a move to put the cup into the sink, but Jack doesn't let go, instead he simply moves with her.

"You really should've taken that nap," he says.

Sam turns to face him, suddenly noting that he only has one arm wrapped around her. The other is holding something behind his back. She narrows her eyes and pointedly looks at him, letting him know she's onto him.

He presses his lips together and then raises his left hand above them, holding a mistletoe branch above their heads.

Sam lets out a laugh. "Running out of reasons to kiss me?" she asks.

He shrugs his right shoulder. "Not at all. But I found this and thought it could be used."

"You don't just find mistletoes lying around."

"Well, I did," he says and dangles it slightly. "Hey, Carter, wanna kiss?"

A slow grin tugs on Sam's lips and she wraps both her arms around his middle, bringing them even closer together. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" he repeats.

She feels a blush rise on her cheeks. “It depends. Have you been a good boy this year?” Any embarrassment she may feel for saying that is well worth the look on his face.

“I can’t believe you just said that.”

Sam shrugs and moves her hands to his butt. “Neither can I. So?”

He gapes at her and it makes her want to laugh, but his face is now mere inches from hers, he only needs to slightly lower his head to kiss her, so she doesn’t.

“You don’t expect me to actually answer, do you?” he says, and lowers his mistletoe holding hand to wrap his left arm around her, too.

“Why, yes, I do.”

“You’re not Santa,” he points out, inching his head closer to hers, but Sam draws back.

“Well, then you won’t get my present,” she says.

Jack pouts. “If memory serves, 'It’s Christmas, so we should get what we want,' is what _you_ told me.”

“Yeah, when you’re four,” she shoots back and grins. “And there’s only one person in this house who qualifies.”

“I suppose,” he says moving both his hands up her back until they cup her face, the mistletoe branch suspiciously missing. “It’s a good thing that I have everything I want.”

Sam raises her head until their noses touch, thinking that two can play this game. “Do you now? But you don’t even know what I got you.”

He gives her a soft smile and his lips brush against hers as he says, “I already got you.” 


End file.
